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Toddler Early Birds
Tips to Get Toddlers to Sleep In
By Kelly Burgess
(Rodale, 2006). In addition, parents need to be aware of what their baby or toddler is capable of at his life stage.
The following chart is an example of sleep expectations, although Dr. Tobin cautions that it's only a generalization, and each child will differ based on his or her own sleep needs:
1 Month of Age:
Night sleep 8.5 hours; daytime 7 hours (three naps); total sleep 15.5 hours
3 Months of Age:
Night sleep 10 hours; daytime 5 hours (three naps); total sleep 15 hours
6 Months of Age:
Night sleep 11 hours; daytime 3 1/4 hours (two naps); total sleep 14 1/4 hours
12 Months of Age:
Night sleep 11 hours; daytime 2.5 hours (two naps); total sleep 13 3/4 hours
18 Months of Age:
Night sleep 11 1/4 hours; daytime 2 1/4 hours (1 nap); total sleep 13.5 hours
2 Years of Age:
Night sleep 11 hours; daytime 2 hours (1 nap); total sleep 13 hours
3 Years of Age:
Night sleep 10.5 hours; daytime 1.5 hours (1 nap); total sleep 12 hours
The obvious solution to the problem, then, would seem to be just to put your child to bed later, but that doesn't always work. "Many young children are early risers and some will wake up early even if they get to bed later," Dr. Tobin says. "Many of those early risers start to hear sounds outside their bedrooms, such as cars on the road or birds singing – sounds adults may not even notice. Their body clock is reaching a light stage sleep and the more they react and wake up to those stimuli, the more they sort of start accepting it as a natural wake-up time."